


five times mark thought about kissing donghyuck and one time he did

by honeybunseok



Category: NCT (Band), We Go Up - NCT Dream (Music Video)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, High School AU, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Confident Gay, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is a Panicked Gay, basically mark hiding his awkward crush, jaemin is a playboy, literally mark stop thinking about kissing hyuck, mark is secretly thirsty, side nahyuck, this took me 2.5 months
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:15:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22755361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybunseok/pseuds/honeybunseok
Summary: Mark cleared his throat. “I’m not telling you who he is, Hyuck.” Mark conveniently hid the detail that his crush had painted nails and rather unkempt chestnut brown hair. Donghyuck was better off not knowing.“Fine. Be a closed-off gay, Lee,” Donghyuck huffed, crossing his arms.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Na Jaemin
Comments: 16
Kudos: 283





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HI this fic took me 2.5 months. literally the longest fic i've ever written. but it was so so enjoyable to write! wasn't rly a markhyuck person but they really are quite cute i hope you guys enjoy this fic <3 pls leave kudos n comments thank you! love you all. have a good day and a good read

1.

It’s a normal school day. As Mark speeds through the hallways with a pile of textbooks in his hand and a bagel in his other, he keeps his head down. He can’t hear his own thoughts over the chatter of friends meeting again and rambling about only God knows what. It’s not like he cared anyway. Just had to get to his locker, dump his shit there, then head to homeroom.

Just another corner to round. For a second, Mark lifts his head to glance at a group of freshman girls pointing at him and whispering. He takes it back – it’s not a normal school day. It’s the first day of school. There isn’t much difference, to be honest. Besides the freshmen, but he would get used to them by the second week.

Mark hears the sound before he feels the pain. It’s only a dull thud of his bagel falling to the floor, but the sound of Mark’s heart breaking in response is overridden by-

“OW! What the heck!”

Then, a burning sensation on his left arm carrying the books. Glancing down at his arm, Mark sees a shallow cut right where the other boy had bumped into him. Their eyes lock. Mark can’t be sure, but he believes the other is a junior, based on the way he carries himself. The boy is rubbing at a spot on his left arm as well, dropping his hand to reveal a cut similar to Mark’s. A wave of awkwardness washes over them before Mark gestures to the soggy bagel lying pathetically on the yellow tiles. The boy’s eyes flit to the bagel.

He opens his mouth, but instead of an apology, to Mark’s disbelief, the boy snidely remarks, “Who the hell eats bagels with _whipped cream_?”

Mark’s eyes widen, ready to defend himself. Mark retorts, “W-well, _I_ do.” Mark hates himself for stuttering.

Cut long forgotten, the boy takes a step closer to Mark and tilts his head upward such that he’s staring at Mark over the bridge of his nose. “No offense, but that’s plain disgusting.”

Mark scoffs. Kids these days – unbelievable. (Mark refuses to acknowledge they’re probably only a year apart)

Mark hesitates for a second, pondering his retort, before deciding not to waste his time interacting with someone he’ll probably never see again.

“Suit yourself. You’re missing out anyway.” Mark mumbles and pushes past the boy again, leaving him staring after Mark, incredulous.

The boy cocks his head sharply, sucks in a breath, but gets back on his way to his own locker, albeit with eyebrows creased in thought. “What a weird character.”

The rest of Mark’s day goes… normal. He makes it to homeroom in time for a 15-minute nap (anything to save Mark’s already distressed sleep schedule, and the school year had barely started). Save for the freshman who’d walked in on biology class halfway, and the unnecessarily long lunch queue (Mark had learnt to bring packed food).

And the fact that Mark couldn’t stop thinking about the boy from earlier on. There was just _something_ about him that made him… special. He stood out. He wasn’t the average junior you’d see being rowdy with his clique at their usual lunch table, or join the soccer team just to hook up with the cheerleaders. He was the student who’d pick a spot in the school garden and whip out a homemade meal by his mom, complete with a motivational quote that most would roll their eyes at, but not him. He would collect those small pieces of paper and tape them up on his locker, unafraid of the mockery from his fellow schoolmates.

Mark plays the incident back in his head like a recording tape, subconsciously lightly running his fingertips over the cut on his left arm.

The boy was weird. No– not exactly _weird_. He was… unique. He made Mark drop his precious bagel, then instead of apologising, proceeded to insult Mark’s food choices.

Mark toys with the tiny purple eraser on the top of his pencil, mind drifting away from class. It’s shocking, he thinks, how he remembers so much about the boy from a while ago, considering Mark isn’t a particularly observant person. A mental image of the boy materialises, complete with a round face, tan skin, and eyes full of defiance and just the slightest tinge of mirth observing Mark’s own offended expression.

The boy’s eyes spoke a million thoughts. They had a sparkle in them that Mark had never seen before, not even in his ex-girlfriend, nor the one before that. They held the universe and more; Mark felt like he could fall into them and never find his way out.

His lips stood out the most to Mark. Pillowy soft, redder than Mark’s cheeks as he rested his chin on a hand and daydreams about the boy during class. Wonderful to kiss. Was Mark going too far? Probably. He didn’t typically think of people he literally just met in this way. But this boy was special; there was something alluring about him that made Mark want to know him better, deeper. Mark couldn’t place his finger on exactly _what_ , though It left him wanting. For what, he didn’t know.

The boy occupied Mark’s thoughts all day long. Even Jisung, Mark’s rather quiet deskmate in Physics class, had asked if he was okay. Jisung never really spoke in the year that Mark had sat beside him, only occasionally to answer Mark’s unintelligent questions and tell Mark to “quieten down, please”. The fact that Mark was acting weird enough to induce something out of Jisung said a lot.

“Is something bothering you?” Jisung leans over slightly, not before making sure the teacher was busy texting again.

Mark lagged, taking way too much energy to pull himself from musing about the boy and his rather pleasant features. His eyes snap to Jisung’s, wavering from concern. “Yeah, yeah. Just… thinking.”

Jisung’s eyes flick down to Mark’s blank worksheet. “You seem odd.”

“I get that a lot.”

“N-no, I mean, something seems off about you today.” Jisung rushes to prevent the misunderstanding (unnecessary, Mark thinks).

Mark shrugs.

“I know we’re barely friends, but I’m always here.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

Jisung takes in a breath, as if about to make another comment, but merely turns back to his worksheet, leaving Mark to slip back into his thoughts about the boy with the honey skin and puffy lips.

Last class of the day, and Mark’s hair is in a mess from the sheer number of times he’s tugged at it and twirled it around his finger as teachers droned on. It’s one of the root causes of his alarming hair loss rate, but he just can’t seem to stop the habit. Believe him, he’s tried. It resulted in him snoozing through class and getting detention for rolling his eyes at the teacher and going back to sleep when she yelled at him to wake up. Mark thinks he didn’t deserve the detention – had the teacher been in his shoes, she probably would’ve done the same. Then again, it wasn’t like he had anywhere to be that afternoon. Or any other afternoon.

Mark drags his feet behind him as he trudged into the classroom. It was a new one with new desks. Good. That meant they were free of the explicit carvings made by students of previous batches using metal rulers. Mark chooses the seat at the very back of the classroom. The desk was standing in solitude, the odd one out in a classroom with an odd number of desks, isolated just the way he liked it. As Mark waited for the bell to ring, his pen seemingly moved on its own accord as he doodled across the front page of his Math textbook.

To Mark’s utter horror, a desk is roughly shoved right next to his own, creating a screeching sound that triggered a grimace. He keeps his head down, wanting as little interaction with whoever the hell disrupted his peace and privacy.

Only a few moments of awkward silence filled the air before Mark felt a penetrating stare on the back of his hunched neck. Slowly, Mark turns just the slightest and an all-too familiar face is smiling at Mark. The boy from before was staring at Mark, stifling a laugh. Mark thought it was highly unsettling when people tried to prevent themselves from laughing. It felt like the tickle of a sneeze brushing past his nose, but not enough to make him sneeze.

“No offense, but your hair is messy. Like, really messy compared to this morning.”

The comment caught Mark off guard.

“I guess I don’t care enough about what you think to fix it.” A white lie.

The boy gaped at that, wonder filling his eyes. “Wow. Charismatic.” Mark hid his surprise due to the complete lack of sarcasm in the boy’s voice. Something Mark would have to learn, he thought to himself.

Mark didn’t know what to reply, so he didn’t. The boy opened his mouth again, but Mark’s ears were saved by the bell ringing and the Math teacher sauntering in. Mark wondered if the boy had an issue with silences and awkwardness. He would’ve made a terrible decision sitting next to Mark, if so.

Mark didn’t like that he wanted to be friends with the boy. Mark Lee simply just didn’t _do_ the whole friendship thing. _This is a first_ , he thought, hyper-aware of the boy in the seat next to him.

Mark was awfully sleepy, especially since it’d been a long first day and math was simply too easy for him, to put it straightforwardly. It was like the well-oiled gears fit perfectly in Mark’s head, allowing him to understand more complex concepts faster than most. Before even a quarter of the lesson had passed, Mark found his eyelids drooping. He didn’t do anything to stop it, either, considering he’d already pre-learned the content of the lesson.

Mark awakened to the teacher’s shrill voice, with a hint of annoyance, “Mark Lee.”

Mark’s opened his eyes only to meet the teacher’s piercing gaze. Using a well-manicured nail, she pointed to an equation on the board and stared back at Mark expectantly. There was a mocking glint in her eye, knowing Mark wouldn’t be able to answer.

Mark kept his calm; he never panicked. Ever.

A hand with pink painted nails slid a torn piece of notebook paper with flowers lining the edges over onto Mark’s desk. In loopy handwriting:

_245.8, dumb shit. Don’t sleep in class._

Internally, Mark thanked the boy, but didn’t show it as he muttered, “245.8.”

The teacher raised her eyebrows in question, but nodded. “Good.”

The same hand. Another strip of paper.

_Shouldn’t you be thankful? I saved your ass._

Mark rolled his eyes, scribbling back and forcefully sliding the strip back.

_Whatever._

Mark can practically feel the boy grinning like the sun, and it made him want to roll his eyes again. There was another reason for his displeasure, one that Mark hated. The boy’s smile made the corners of his mouth twitch, too. Mark Lee simply just didn’t _do_ the whole happiness thing. Mark Lee didn’t do a lot of things. But Mark did like to roll his eyes sparingly, so he stopped himself.

_The name’s Donghyuck._

Mark couldn’t care less. Another white lie, this time to himself.

 _You’re not getting my name,_ he wrote back.

The boy– no, Donghyuck took slightly longer this time, Mark noticed as much as he wanted not to.

_I already know it. Mark Lee. The teacher said it before I heroically swooped in and saved you._

Mark felt his cheeks heat up. He crushed the paper into a tiny ball in his left hand, trimmed nails digging into the tender skin of his palm. Donghyuck giggled next to him. Mark rolled his eyes again, not liking the way Donghyuck’s laugh sounded so enchanting to him.

2.

Maybe Mark Lee _could_ do the whole friendship thing if he wanted, he thought as he sat to the right of Donghyuck at lunch. Mark felt sorry to the bench he usually occupied as he ate alone, currently empty.

It wasn’t his choice, eating lunch with Donghyuck. Donghyuck had made a scene out of it, wondering aloud how Mark would repay Donghyuck for “saving his ass” on the first day of school. After what seemed like hours of unnecessary contemplation as Mark stared blankly at the whiteboard, Donghyuck snapped his fingers.

“I’ve finally decided, hyung!” Donghyuck clapped excitedly, eyes lighting up with emotion. Mark wasn’t sure they’d gotten to the “hyung” stage of friendship yet, but he let it slide.

Mark blinked slowly.

Donghyuck announced with a grand tone of voice, “Let’s eat lunch together every day!”

Mark’s expression showed no emotion, no reaction at all. It was ironic, considering the erratic beating of his heart against his ribcage.

“You don’t mind, do you?” Donghyuck faltered at Mark’s reaction (or lack thereof), “I wouldn’t force you…” Donghyuck’s eyes lowered to his worn-out Nikes.

To be honest, Mark minded. He minded that he already had the perfect lifestyle, going about in solitude, and a random boy had the power to change it all. He minded that Lee Donghyuck wasn’t just a random boy to him, and even more that he was willing to reciprocate Donghyuck’s friendliness.

Yet, Mark let himself reply, “I don’t, actually.”

Seeing Donghyuck squeal with joy was more than rewarding.

Lunch delivered far more than Mark expected. Donghyuck had led Mark into the school garden and settled for a spot right in the middle, plopping into a cross-legged position. Right where the sun shone the brightest. Mark’s face contorted into a cringe.

“Why’re you sitting in the sun?” Donghyuck’s eyes were tiny slits as he looked up at Mark with the sun shining directly into his eyes.

Donghyuck shrugged. “I like it. It gives me a sort of energy. Like _I’m_ the sun.” He scrunched his eyes shut and flung his arms open. He looked up at Mark again. “Look, I’m absorbing its energy,” he giggled. Donghyuck patted the space next to him. “You try, hyung.”

Mark sighed and gave in. Donghyuck smiled at Mark, unwrapping his sandwich. Mark half-heartedly returned a lopsided smile.

Donghyuck laughed. “I like your smile, hyung. You should smile more.”

Donghyuck reached out to stretch Mark’s lips into a smile again, giggling.

“Do you do it often?” Mark asked. “I- I mean, those.” He pointed to Donghyuck’s pink nails.

Donghyuck curled his hand into a fist such that his nails were no longer in sight.

“Yeah, I like it.” Donghyuck mumbled, embarrassed.

Mark hesitated before replying. “So do I.” For some reason, Mark felt the need to compliment Donghyuck, if not just to see Donghyuck’s eyes light up once again. And they did, to Mark’s satisfaction.

“Thank you, hyung.” Relief flooded Donghyuck at Mark’s validation. It came out as nearly a whisper, much softer than he had intended.

They ate in silence, Mark devouring his whipped cream bagel.

“Is it really that good?” Donghyuck nodded at the bagel.

Mark shifted the bagel in Donghyuck’s direction by an inch, eyebrows raised. Donghyuck seemed to hesitate, as if unsure of Mark’s intentions. “Um... Can I take a bite?”

Mark nodded, watching as Donghyuck took a tiny nibble, as Donghyuck’s eyes widened in awe.

“Oh my _goodness_ , that’s really good. Like, _fucken_ good, hyung. Sorry for questioning your food choices. I take that back.”

Mark made an indignant sound in response. “I told you, you were missing out.”

Donghyuck seemed happier than he should’ve been that Mark had at least said something in return, and it teased a smile out of Mark.

“Why’re you smiling?”

Mark turned to look at Donghyuck and couldn’t help but let his eyes fall to Donghyuck’s lips and the whipped cream smeared on the upper lip. What it would feel like to kiss it off, Mark didn’t let himself imagine. Donghyuck tilted his head, and Mark remembered that Donghyuck had asked him a question.

Mark leaned in slowly, until he could feel the warmth of Donghyuck’s breath. Mark didn’t know what had gotten into him. They were barely friends, and yet he was already initiating such physical proximity to Donghyuck. There was something about Donghyuck that made Mark yearn for more.

And there they were – his lips. Chapped, but there was a gloss over it that gave away that he’d hastily applied a layer of lip balm in an attempt to moisturise. Mark thought it was adorable. Donghyuck’s gaze had fallen to Mark’s own lips, and Mark noticed that Donghyuck’s breathing had gotten more rapid.

All of a sudden, Mark lifted a hand to swipe over Donghyuck’s lips, though the fact that the gentle touch had caused Donghyuck to flinch showed how tense Donghyuck had been. Mark quickly sat back upright, observing that Donghyuck had the slightest flush on the tips of his ears. He felt an unexplained sense of accomplishment for making Donghyuck flustered.

Mark cleared his throat and took another bite of his bagel, saying with his mouth full, “There was whipped cream on your lip.”

For the first time, it was Donghyuck’s turn to be silent.

“Can I have your number?” Donghyuck held out his phone to Mark on the 8th day that they ate lunch together.

Mark sputtered and almost choked on his bagel, feeling a blush tinting his cheeks. His eyes searched Donghyuck’s for his intention of asking.

Donghyuck read Mark’s alarmed expression and shook his head, laughing, “I didn’t mean it in that way, hyung. I just thought since we’re friends, we should exchange numbers.”

Donghyuck found it amusing how Mark immediately relaxed and keyed his number into Donghyuck’s phone. Though, Donghyuck couldn’t blame Mark for misunderstanding.

“Anyway, I have a boyfriend, you know,” Donghyuck joked.

Mark’s heart dropped. “You do?”

“Yeah I do. Could anyone resist _this_ face?” Donghyuck motioned a circle around his face, winking.

Mark swallowed. “Who is he?”

Donghyuck’s smile disappeared. “Jaemin.” He averted his gaze to his now blue nails, pretending to scrutinise them, missing the way Mark’s jaw dropped.

“ _Na Jaemin?_ ”

Donghyuck hummed in response but didn’t say anything. _Unusual,_ Mark thought. He’d expected Donghyuck to go off about how awesome Jaemin was, and he waited, but it never came.

“Why do you sit with me at lunch, then?” Mark mused.

Donghyuck sucked in a breath, pupils wavering. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, shouldn’t you sit with him?” Mark glances over into the cafeteria through the window. There Jaemin was, at the largest table smack in the centre of the cafeteria. Jaemin was surrounded by girls and guys alike, all hopelessly obsessed with him. Mark could see the infatuation in their eyes, a glassy sheen over their sclera. Mark returned his gaze to Donghyuck, who was picking at his nail polish. He looked uncomfortable, Mark noted. Now Mark didn’t have much experience, but he had enough sense to figure out that Donghyuck he didn’t want to talk about it.

Mark’s eyes softened and he lightly enveloped Donghyuck’s hand with his own, placing Donghyuck’s hand back on his lap.

“Stop doing that. Your nail polish is going to chip.”

Donghyuck looked up to meet Mark’s gaze, eyes conveying his gratitude to Mark for letting go of the topic. A small smile made its way onto Donghyuck’s face.

“I can always paint them again,” Donghyuck’s playful tone snuck back into his voice, and Mark was relieved. He preferred seeing Donghyuck happy, because Donghyuck’s smile made his heart swell. Though the knowledge that Donghyuck had a boyfriend did little to extinguish the kindling flame of adoration for Donghyuck in Mark’s heart, it did make him feel a little disappointed.

The topic of Jaemin never really came up again, but it always lingered at the back of Mark’s mind, a reminder that his growing crush was, regretfully, one-sided.

3.

Mark didn’t like to admit it, but Donghyuck just might be the first friend he’d made in his 3 years of high school. 4 months had passed, and Mark had to admit that Donghyuck was a constant presence both in his life and mind. He had to give it to Donghyuck for managing to somehow pass through his carefully sculpted, tough and withdrawn outer covering and integrate smoothly into his otherwise bland life. Mark was thankful to Donghyuck, because Donghyuck was practically obsessed with rambling about the most random topics to Mark, and it did bring some life into Mark’s days. Gave him a motivation to show up to school on days that he felt like there was no point in trying. Now there was Donghyuck.

Donghyuck made his presence known by wrapping his arms around Mark’s neck snugly.

“Hi, Mark hyung.” They were definitely at the “hyung” stage of friendship already.

Mark gently unwrapped Donghyuck’s hands from around himself (he noticed his nails were painted a sunflower yellow), turning to face Donghyuck with an affectionate smile as he slid into the seat beside him.

The first lesson of the day was Math. Math went by normally, Donghyuck and Mark’s elbows bumping into each other every time they wrote something down. Mark barely paying attention and Donghyuck twirling his pen in his left hand as he hummed a tune only loud enough for Mark to hear. 2 minutes before the bell rung, Donghyuck had already packed his backpack and he looked ready to get up and leave once the class was dismissed.

Mark leaned over just the slightest, whispering, “You look anxious.”

“I am.”

“Why?”

“Let’s skip class.”

Mark’s snapped around to face Donghyuck. “What?!” Mark whisper-yelled.

The shrieking of the school bell interrupted Donghyuck, and Mark couldn’t read lips all that well.

“Say that again?”

“I want to bring you somewhere.” Donghyuck stood up abruptly, his chair making an ugly sound as it scraped across the floor. Donghyuck tugged at Mark’s wrist impatiently, frowning. “Hurry up, hyung! Before we get caught!”

Mark’s eyes darted around the classroom. No one was paying attention to them, perhaps because banter like this often happened between Mark and Donghyuck.

“I- I don’t think we should…”

“Come on! Just once? Break the rules a little, hyung!” Donghyuck whined.

Mark had a weak spot reserved in his heart, just for Donghyuck and his sparkling puppy eyes. His mind told him to cancel the reservation, but his heart had been pretty insistent on keeping it reserved for Donghyuck and Donghyuck only to fill.

Eyes soft, Mark nodded in defeat. “Fine, but if we get into trouble, you were the one who kidnapped me.”

Donghyuck laughed, eyes small crescents and mouth wide.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here, hyung.”

Mark frowns. “Cursing isn’t cool, Donghyuck-ah.”

Donghyuck didn’t respond, opting to pull Mark up from his seat and out of the classroom instead.

Mark let himself be dragged along behind Donghyuck, and they scaled the wall behind the block where there were no security cameras. They ran past secluded alleys and the playground behind the school until Donghyuck sharply turned into one, causing Mark to stumble. Before Mark could chastise Donghyuck for being too rough, Donghyuck muttered an apology, taking Mark completely by surprise. Donghyuck never apologised, at least not within the time that Mark had known him.

“Did… Did you just _apologise?_ ” Mark asked in disbelief, panting from the running.

Donghyuck snorted. “I’m not as rude as you think.”

They slowed down to a walk as they neared the end of the alley which opened into a clearing, Donghyuck’s fingers still holding tightly onto Mark’s wrist. Now that they were far enough from the school to not be caught by patrolling teachers or the good citizen who would recognise their school uniforms, they relaxed into a comfortable stroll. They trudged across the grass field and entered a forest, shoes getting muddy because it had rained the previous night, but the exhilaration of skipping school overpowered the will to care.

“We’re almost there,” Donghyuck says.

Mark didn’t comment on Donghyuck’s firm grip on his forearm, and why he hadn’t let go when clearly, Mark no longer was reluctant to follow Donghyuck. He merely allowed himself to bask in the tingly feeling Donghyuck’s touch sent along his spine, all the way to his ears, turning the tips of them pink. Mark felt the urge to tug at his own hair, this time not because he was bored in class, but because he was willing to do anything if it meant getting rid of the heat creeping up his neck, though not due to the strenuous physical exercise he’d just gone through. If Mark stopped abruptly, the force would cause Donghyuck to turn into Mark’s arms, and if Mark leaned forward just a little, possibly, their lips could brush past each other. Mark let himself get lost in his fantasy before an intruding thought rang like a bell, disrupting the world Mark had sculpted out of his imagination.

_Donghyuck has a boyfriend._

The thought was constantly at the back of his mind, packed behind stacks of his daily interactions with Donghyuck and Donghyuck making fun of their Math teacher’s antics. It left a bitter aftertaste in Mark’s mouth. If Jaemin wouldn’t even sit with Donghyuck at lunch, then Mark could conclude that Jaemin wasn’t a very good boyfriend. He didn’t deserve Donghyuck.

“I’ll try.” Donghyuck’s voice broke through Mark’s thoughts and the serenity of the forest.

“Hmm?”  
“I’ll try to stop cursing, if it makes you uncomfortable.” Donghyuck said.

Now Mark had gotten much better at social interaction after spending time with Donghyuck (at least to his own judgement), but this time he couldn’t find the words to express the blooming feeling in his chest, together with the astonishment that Donghyuck was willing to make a change for Mark.

“T-thank you,” Mark stuttered, though it came out more like a question.

They arrived at a clearing that opened into a small lake with pine trees surrounding it.

Donghyuck sighed in achievement and let go of Mark’s wrist, which felt too empty without Donghyuck’s warmth. “This is it.”

He sat on a fallen log and motioned to Mark to take a seat beside him.

“What do you think? Was it worth the run?”

Mark’s eyes travelled over the lake and the trees. “It’s beautiful, Donghyuck.”

“So, are you glad we skipped school?” There was a mischievous glint in Donghyuck’s eyes.

Mark shrugged. Maybe breaking the rules once in a while wouldn’t hurt.

They sat in silence, absorbing the refreshing tranquillity of the forest compared to the overlapping conversations between students they were used to in school.

“You know, I haven’t even brought Jaemin here.”

“Why not?” Mark couldn’t deny that he felt special. _Ha, Jaemin, I’m more important to Donghyuck than you are._

Donghyuck swung his legs back and forth, kicking soil onto his uniform. “Dunno,” he said, “Just never felt right bringing him here.”

“And it feels right bringing me here?”

Donghyuck chuckled and nudged Mark. “Hey, don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Mark laughed.

“Why don’t I ever see you with Jaemin?”

Donghyuck’s face fell immediately, and Mark felt a pinch at his heart, like an ant bite.

“He wants our relationship to be a secret,” he replied after a moment.

“You mean he doesn’t want people to see him with you?”

Donghyuck swallowed visibly, shaking his head. “It’s not like that.”

Mark probably shouldn’t have, observing Donghyuck’s discomfort, but he probed further.

“Doesn’t Jaemin hook up with cheerleaders? A different one each week. They’re practically all over him.” It was true; in fact, Jaemin was notorious for dating then dropping girls as if they were nothing besides sex to him.

Donghyuck looked away. His legs weren’t swinging anymore. The forest was painfully silent. He felt confined, like he was being pushed against a wall and forced to face the truth that Jaemin wasn’t treating him right.

“You’re worth more than that, Donghyuck-ah.” Anger bubbled up in Mark’s chest. How could Donghyuck let himself be treated this way?

“It’s none of your business,” Donghyuck snapped.

They left the forest soon after, for neither felt like lingering any longer.

The walk back to school was awkward, to put it bluntly. They trudged through the vaguely familiar pin-drop quiet alleys, save for the occasional muffled car engine as it whizzed past, unaware of the two boys who played truant. The silence was not comfortable, nor was it empty. It was filled with… with tension, a sense that both wanted to dispel it but nether knew how to. Mark’s eyes scanned the unpaved dirt path, desperate for something, _anything_ to make a stray remark about, if not just to distract himself from the overwhelming guilt of ruining the mood. It was his fault, wasn’t it? For pushing Donghyuck into a conversation he didn’t want and a position he obviously didn’t want to be in. A shimmer caught his eye out of his peripheral. As they neared it, Mark realised it was a tiny pebble, its upper surface coated in some sort of gold substance. It reminded him of Donghyuck a little. Donghyuck could be bright and eccentric, but underneath the façade, was he really just a vulnerable boy? Mark kicked the stone hard, and it hit a wall with pink paint peeling off of it. The house it belonged to looked as if it had had no inhabitants for the past 10 years. Mark looked away.

Donghyuck’s startling _“Dancing Queen”_ ringtone sounded through the alley, only for the two pairs of ears to hear. Mark startled, placing a hand on his chest to calm himself. Donghyuck pulled his phone out of his back pocket with some difficulty considering the pants he was wearing that day were extremely tight. What could he say? Fashion over pain. The plaid pair just went _so_ well with his blue crop top – he couldn’t resist it. Donghyuck frowned before sliding right on his screen.

“What?” Donghyuck said, tone laced with annoyance.

Mark watched as Donghyuck’s doe eyes widened. Donghyuck hung up, his thumbnail making a loud tapping noise on the screen. Donghyuck turned to face Mark, expression serious.

“Teacher found out.” Mark’s heart dropped. Not sparing Mark another glance, Donghyuck began speed-walking down the alley. Meanwhile, Mark stayed rooted to his spot. His perfect record was going to be damaged all because he agreed to Donghyuck. Stupid Donghyuck and his persuasive strategies. How was he going to get into university now?

“What are you doing?” Donghyuck turned to glare at Mark from a few metres in front of him. Mark merely stared back, pupils shaking. Donghyuck chest deflated and he rolled his eyes, taking big strides back to Mark.

Without much thought, Donghyuck grabbed Mark’s hand, tugging Mark behind him. Mark’s eyes drifted to Donghyuck’s grip on his hand. From Donghyuck’s smooth palm to his chipped nail polish, everything about holding his hand made warmth blossom in Mark’s chest. Despite the circumstances they were in, Mark couldn’t help but to live in his fantasy.

Then, their hands still connected, Donghyuck tripped over a curb in his hurry, stumbling forward and almost losing his balance. Mark gasped and reached forward to touch him with concern, but Donghyuck sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly hyper-aware of the feeling of Mark’s hand in his own. He let go of Mark’s hand to pull his crop top down (which didn’t really help in concealing the light trace of his abs).

“I’m fine,” Donghyuck said, stoic. Mark’s hand dropped back to his side.

Mark and Donghyuck ran the rest of the way back, Mark’s laboured breathing embarrassingly loud by the time they reached the school wall. To Mark’s surprise, Donghyuck didn’t seem nearly as exhausted as he did.

“You work out often?” Mark cautiously tread, making sure Donghyuck was no longer mad at him.

Donghyuck whipped around, gesturing downward. “Didn’t notice my abs?”

Mark’s eyes slowly trailed down Donghyuck’s crop top (there was a pink hydrangea in the centre of it, Mark noted.) and reached the slit of Donghyuck’s tan skin between his top and his pants. Mark’s eyes widened.

“O-oh.” Mark was somehow more out of breath than before.

Donghyuck smirked at Mark’s evident fluster, turning around again to climb over the wall. Donghyuck tried his very best to hoist himself onto the stone wall but found his efforts futile.

“UH, a little help here?”

Mark chuckled to himself and positioned his hands beside Donghyuck. He nodded toward his hands, “Come on.”

Donghyuck took a tentative step onto Mark’s palms, as if testing their stability.

“Hyuck, I work out too. I’m not weak.” Mark deadpanned.

Donghyuck said emotionlessly, “Oh. I couldn’t notice.”  
“I could drop you right now, you know that.”

Donghyuck laughed, loud and happy. His arm muscles became more defined as he lifted himself up, effectively shoving his butt into Mark’s face.

“Your ass is in my face.” Mark’s voice was muffled.

Donghyuck let out another laugh, this time softer. “Well, how do you like it?”

Mark’s jaw dropped at Donghyuck’s lack of shame. He hesitated. “H-how do I _like_ it?”

“Yeah, honest answers only. You think this ass is easy to get?” Donghyuck’s voice rose in volume as he landed on the other side of the wall with a grunt.

Mark felt a blush creeping up his neck. “Sure. It’s… cute?” Mark sputtered.

Donghyuck burst out laughing. “Well thank you, Markle. Your ass is cute, too.”

Mark got himself over the wall with ease, being taller than Donghyuck. He hoped Donghyuck would brush the redness of his face off as due to the physical activity.

They jogged their way back to the main school block together. After the first few steps, Mark felt a numbing pain in his right forearm. Slowing down, he turned his arm over to reveal crimson beads of blood forming over his skin. Mark’s heart rate picked up, legs going weak at the sight of his wound. He must’ve injured himself while helping Donghyuck over the wall. Mark bit down on his lip hard. _Get over it. Don’t let Donghyuck realise and worry._

“You okay back there, Markle?” Donghyuck’s sweet voice called back.

Mark choked out a chuckle, “Y-yeah, um. All good. What’s with you calling me Markle, anyway?” _God, you’re so obvious, Mark._

“What? It’s a good nickname!” Donghyuck whined. Mark could hear the smile in his voice.

Five minutes later, and Mark and Donghyuck were sitting beside each other in the principal’s office.

“What were you kids doing out of school?” The principal was an old, fat man. A bald spot lay in the centre of his shiny round head. He stared down lazily at the two boys through his glasses.

Donghyuck snickered. “Mr. Noh, sir, if we buy you a McDonalds meal, will you let us go?” Donghyuck avoided the question, tone unabashed.

Mark glared daggers at Donghyuck, eyes conveying his thoughts exactly. Donghyuck leaned over to whisper in Mark’s ear. Mark quickly shifted his right arm out of sight. “Don’t worry, I’ve been in this situation before. Our principal’s more slipshod than the general school population thinks.” Donghyuck waved his outstretched hand in front of his face to illustrate this.

Mr. Noh seemed to consider Donghyuck’s offer. “A McDonalds meal.” The words rolled over his tongue, feeling them in his mouth. Finally, he let out a long sigh. Mark choked on the strong tobacco smell, earning him a giggle from Donghyuck.

“Fine.” Mr. Noh refused to make eye contact with the boys.

Donghyuck raised his eyebrows are Mark. _I told you so._ He leaned forward and slapped $10 onto the principal’s birch desk. “Should cover for the both of us.”

Donghyuck sauntered out of the office, unabated sass radiating off of him. Mark, stunned, got up to follow him. Once he caught up to Donghyuck, he tapped his shoulder. Donghyuck spun around, batting his eyelashes and staring up at Mark sweetly. Mark felt his chest constrict.

“That was cool,” Mark squeaked.

Donghyuck laughed, tiptoeing and leaning in just an inch closer. “Thank you, Markle.”

Mark stared into Donghyuck’s eyes, heart going wild in his ribcage. He wondered if Donghyuck felt the same way. Even if he did, it wasn’t noticeable because the way Donghyuck next caressed his cheek was so confident that Mark couldn’t read Donghyuck’s mind at all. Mark felt his throat closing up, preventing his heart from jumping right into Donghyuck’s hands.

Donghyuck playfully slapped Mark’s cheek, startling him.

“Bye Markle. Gotta go for my next class. Have a good weekend!” Donghyuck winked at a dazed Mark before turning around and skipping down the hallway.

Mark ran his fingertips over his cheek. What was that? Donghyuck was _such_ a tease. There wasn’t even a “next class” – they’d missed the entire school day! Mark slowly shuffled forward. Whatever. That was for him to worry about another time. If anything, Mark was relieved that Donghyuck had seemingly forgotten about their unpleasant conversation in the woods.




Mark was awoken from his slumber by Donghyuck’s unnecessarily loud voice.

“Yo! Markle in the house! How’s my best friend doing?” Donghyuck smacked Mark’s back, _hard_. Mark coughed.

“You woke me up. And it was a good dream!” Mark slurred, voice laced with sleep.

“What dream was it?” Donghyuck lay his head on folded arms as well such that he was face to face with Mark.

Mark hesitated. “My crush kissed me.” Mark pretended not to notice the rapid thrum of his heart.

Donghyuck wiggled his eyebrows. “Ooh! Mark Lee has a crush, everyone!” He announced to the class. Thankfully, the rest of the class paid no attention to Donghyuck, more absorbed in their own conversations.

“Who is she?” Donghyuck probed.

Mark cleared his throat. “I’m not telling you who _he_ is, Hyuck.” Mark conveniently hid the detail that his crush had painted nails and rather unkempt chestnut brown hair. Donghyuck was better off not knowing.

“Fine. Be a closed-off gay, Lee,” Donghyuck huffed, crossing his arms.

“Not everyone wants the whole world to know every detail of their life, _Lee,_ ” Mark shot back. He removed Donghyuck’s arms from his chest. “Stop being whiny.”

“I’m not being whiny!” Donghyuck kicked the leg of his desk. “ _Also,_ ” Donghyuck grabbed Mark’s right arm, pointed at his bandage and demanded, “What’s this?”

Mark gulped. “Uh…”

Donghyuck carefully inspected the white gauze. “Hmm?”

“I kinda may have scraped myself that day.”

“While climbing the wall?” Donghyuck’s fingertips lightly prodded the bandage.

Mark nodded, eyes flicking from the whiteboard to the girl French-braiding her hair in the front row. Anything to avoid Donghyuck’s pointed look.

“Well, why didn’t you tell me?” Donghyuck’s gaze was intense, but his voice remained gentle, slightly sad, even.

Mark tugged his arm back. “I just- I didn’t want you to worry about me,” he mumbled.

“This is absolutely _unacceptable,_ Markle!” Donghyuck said, appalled. “As your official best friend, I demand that you do not keep any secrets from me!”

Mark forcefully exhaled through his nose with mirth.

“Deal?” Donghyuck stretched out a hand.

To Donghyuck’s pleasant surprise, Mark enveloped Donghyuck in a hug, his body warmth spreading tingles throughout Donghyuck’s own body. “Deal, official best friend.”

Donghyuck’s eyes dropped to the floor, red-faced. His arms settled on Mark’s back as well and he rested his chin on Mark’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He did like the way Mark’s larger frame wrapped around himself. It had been a long time since he’d experienced such intimacy, after all. What about Jaemin? Well, you see, Jae- No, don’t think about that. Just focus on the moment.

“Guys, look at Mark and Donghyuck!” A jeer broke the calm, and both boys pulled away abruptly. Thirty pairs of eyes were fixed on the two.

Donghyuck rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Mind your own business, losers.”

Everyone turned back to their own assignments, but a few spare giggles were heard echoing off the walls.

Mark studied Donghyuck’s flushed face, a small smile inching onto his own. His eyes narrowed. “Did you put on extra blusher today?”

Donghyuck frowned and shoved Mark with his shoulder, but his eyes screamed amusement. “Shut up,” he said with a pout. Mark wanted so badly to lean in and kiss it away. He wanted so badly to feel Donghyuck’s lips on his. Who cared if the entire class was watching? In that split-second, it would only be him and Donghyuck, Donghyuck and him.

Instead, he ignored the bitter twist of his heart in his chest, grinned widely and turned back to face the whiteboard just as the Math teacher walked in, the click-clack of heels following her like a shadow.

5.

Time passed significantly faster when Mark was spending time with Donghyuck. And that was every day. They’d even started walking to school together, even though Donghyuck lived a 15-minute walk from Mark’s. Mark had simply found Donghyuck beaming on his doorstep on the 4th of May (Mark remembered the date, of course he remembered), extending a hand to a bewildered Mark who hadn’t yet bothered to comb his hair. Subsequently, Mark had made Donghyuck wait idly as he ran around the house looking for a comb and cologne. Donghyuck had sat up, alert, 10 minutes later when Mark emerged looking notably neater and smelling like his grandma’s bedroom. Maybe Donghyuck had noticed, but he didn’t mention it, and Mark was thankful for that. They walked to school together, by the end of it both fully awake and snorting with laughter. And so it went for the following 4 months.

There was once that Donghyuck had been too engrossed in recounting to Mark “last night’s 2am fridge raid” that he’d failed to notice the oncoming car, and Mark had yanked him back by the arm. Donghyuck had come chest to chest with Mark, eyes wide. Mark had scrambled backward after the initial moments, in fear of Donghyuck feeling his erratic heartbeat. Donghyuck had always been extra careful to look out for cars after that.

Seasons passed, and Mark and Donghyuck found themselves landed right in the middle of final season. Nothing had changed, really. The thing Mark missed most was Donghyuck’s extravagant outfits. No more crop tops, no more leopard-print tights. The only remaining pieces of Donghyuck’s eccentric personality were chipped nail polish and a polka-dotted hair clip he probably forgot to remove before sleeping the previous night. It had all gotten a little hectic, with finals approaching. Mark didn’t like it one bit. He didn’t like the way he could count the number of times Donghyuck smiled in a day on one hand. When Donghyuck turned up on Mark’s front step in the morning, he no longer greeted Mark with a twinkling smile. He’d lost all his shine, and it worried Mark.

“Stop staring. I can see you from my peripheral. It ain’t cute, Markle.” The lilt in Donghyuck’s voice seemed to mock Mark.

Mark hastily looked away from Donghyuck, red already blooming on his face.“Was not.”

“Was too.”

Mark huffed. “Whatever.”

They fell back into silence. Mark let his eyes find their way back to Donghyuck’s round features. Donghyuck’s tongue darted over his lips in thought. Butterflies flitted about in Mark’s stomach, threatening to burst out in a giggle.

Donghyuck loudly sighed, running a hand through his damaged hair (from all the bleach, Mark presumed. The boy should stop dying his hair!), managing to accidentally pull at his hair clip.

“Ow!”

Mark stifled a laugh.

Donghyuck slammed his left hand onto the desk. “Damn it! I’m so fuc-” Donghyuck slapped a hand over his mouth before the word could slip out. “Uh, I mean, I’m so frackalackin dumb?”

Mark thought it was remarkably cute of Donghyuck to _actually_ make an effort to stop cursing after Mark had brought it up. He’d once even replaced a curse word with an ice cream flavour.

Mark snapped himself out of his daze. “I have a crazy idea.”

“What?”  
“Let’s study together, Hyuck-ah.”

Donghyuck’s eyes twinkled. “Really? You’d do that for me?”

Mark’s lips twitched upward. “Of course, sugar plum.” Mark didn’t know when he started getting bold enough to call Donghyuck pet names, but it started, and it never stopped. Donghyuck seemed to blush every time Mark did it, anyway, so it was a win-win situation.

Library, 10pm. They’d already been in the library for 6 hours straight. Donghyuck had brought Mark a box of cream puffs as thanks, but they ended up finishing the box of 24 within 2 hours. Donghyuck had eaten more than half of the box, not that Mark minded. Donghyuck had said and Mark quoted, “No offense, but these are so much better than those whipped cream bagels of yours.” To which, Mark had scoffed.

Mark was more than delighted to be able to help Donghyuck with Math. Firstly, because he finally felt useful. Secondly, because Donghyuck was so irresistible. _Mark, stop thirsting over Donghyuck._

Mark kept his eyes trained on his Math problem, determined not to let his eyes wander to Donghyuck’s face opposite him. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Donghyuck tap the end of his pencil erratically on the table. He was biting his lips. Mark broke his promise to himself a little and he looked up at Donghyuck and- oh- Donghyuck’s eyes were red? There were teardrops forming in Donghyuck’s eyes, forming a glossy sheen over his eyeballs. It took a moment for everything to click in Mark’s lagging brain and he wished he had been able to reach Donghyuck before the first teardrop fell. Mark instantly got out of his seat and before he knew it, his arms were around Donghyuck and Donghyuck’s face was buried in his neck.

Mark’s hands moved on their own accord, patting Donghyuck’s trembling back with a steady rhythm.  
“It’s okay,” Mark soothed, hoping Donghyuck found comfort in his arms. Mark was never the best at comforting people. “It’s okay.” Mark repeated the phrase over and over, never getting tired of saying it to Donghyuck.

“It’s okay.”

They must’ve stayed like that for a couple of minutes before the sobs eventually stopped. Donghyuck pulled away, leaving the right shoulder of Mark’s hoodie soaked through.

“I’m sorry,” Donghyuck gave a nasal laugh, a ray of sunshine through the tears and the stuffy nose, as he swiped at Mark’s hoodie to no avail at drying it off.

Mark’s concerned eyes met Donghyuck’s. “Why didn’t you ask me if you were struggling so bad?”

Donghyuck broke the eye contact, refusing to look directly at Mark and opting for his tear-stained worksheet instead. “I- I thought I was being annoying- I didn’t want to bother you.”

Mark scoffed, eyebrows creasing. “You weren’t! I swear, you-”

“You have better things to do than teach a dumbass like me, okay, Mark? And we both know that.” Donghyuck cut Mark off mid-sentence. Fresh tears brimmed in Donghyuck’s eyes. Before Mark could retort, Donghyuck heaved a sigh, laden with more misery than Mark had ever heard from him. Mark’s heart broke a little.

“I just don’t know anymore, hyung.” _Hyung. Donghyuck only called Mark hyung when he was serious._ “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Mark’s voice was soft, carefully probing at Donghyuck’s heart to open up.  
“It’s like… it’s like I’m not even good at anything. It’s gotten really bad. Like, to the point where I can’t even focus anymore. All the questions I do are _wrong_ and there’s so much _work_ to do but if I _can’t even get it right_ then what’s the point?” Donghyuck’s voice was starting to get choked up, but he forced down the lump in his throat. “Every day I break down, hyung. Every day. And the fact that my dad doesn’t want me at home doesn’t help at all. I just feel like… like I don’t deserve to be here, you know? To be alive? I don’t deserve it. Yeah.” Donghyuck shrugged and gave a dry laugh.

Anger bubbled up in Mark’s chest. He grabbed Donghyuck’s face, compressing his cheeks between his palms until Donghyuck looked like a blowfish.

“You listen here, Lee Donghyuck. You do not deserve to suffer here by yourself. You’re the one who’s kept me alive and going to school every day for the past, what, year? And you still think I don’t care about you? You’re the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You’re talented, you’re confident, you’re smart. Damn it, you’re gorgeous. I don’t care what you think – we’re doing this together. You and me. And you’re not allowed to bail on me.”

They stared into each other’s eyes, Mark searching for an answer, any sort of response, from Donghyuck.

“Promise me,” Mark breathed out.

“I promise.”

Mark wanted nothing more than to lean in and plant a kiss right on Donghyuck’s lips, swollen from crying, right then and there. Mark’s heart fluttered in his chest, almost unbearably.

Donghyuck finally mumbled, “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Just- why? Why would you do this for someone like me? Someone who’s nothing more than a toy for the popular kid in school?”

Mark nearly, _nearly_ rolled his eyes. “It’s because I’m in love with you, idiot,” the words escaped in a whisper before he could stop himself. Mark’s heart went wild against his ribcage as his brain slowly registered the situation. _Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. No. What? I did_ not _just confess to him. Shit._

Donghyuck’s eyes were blown wide, jaw slack.

Mark dropped his hands from Donghyuck’s face. “I- I mean,” Mark stuttered, “I didn’t- I- I should probably go right now.”

Mark gathered his highlighters and pens, stuffing them directly into his bag, not even bothering to put them neatly in his pencilcase like he usually would. And he left like that. Donghyuck didn’t look up at Mark, too lost in his own thoughts to notice when Mark turned to look back at him.

1.

They never did talk about the incident. Mark had taken the liberty to assume Donghyuck just didn’t feel the same way, and so Mark started healing. It had been a slow, painful process in the midst of studying for finals and being Donghyuck’s rock, but what had to be done had to be done. Mark was never really that in touch with the whole _emotions_ thing, anyway.

Mark started bringing flowers for Donghyuck every morning. Hydrangeas, azaleas, tulips. Donghyuck loved them all, rambling about how he’d press them in a notebook and store them forever. Donghyuck started smiling more. His makeup and dyed hair (electric blue this time) made a comeback, despite the fact that he still wore sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt (Mark still thought he looked cute). Once, he had even draped an arm over Mark’s shoulder (it was a stretch; he was shorter than Mark) as they walked to the cafeteria, laughing at a textpost Mark had found. Day by day, step by step. Mark enjoyed seeing Donghyuck’s face light up again. It sparked a different kind of firework in his chest.

It was Math final day, and Donghyuck couldn’t be more nervous. He was pacing back and forth in front of Mark, reciting formulas and firing questions at Mark “so I don’t forget everything I ever learnt! Ever! It always happens!” Mark calmly offered a bottle of gum to Donghyuck, which Donghyuck grabbed and popped three into his mouth. Mark’s jaw dropped.

“ _Three?!_ ”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “It’s a _coping mechanism_ , Mark. Ever heard of one?”

As Mark was about to respond with sarcasm, the door opened and students started streaming in. Donghyuck’s eyes turned pleading as he flashed Mark a look one last time, rapid beating of his heart louder than the chatter of students, to which Mark returned a thumbs up and a grin. Then Donghyuck disappeared within the swarm of students.

Time in the examination room passed by in a flash, and then the teacher said “stop writing” and they handed their papers up.

The first thing Mark registered after exiting the room was a flash of blue hair bounding toward him, followed by being crushed in a bear hug. (considering the fact that it was Donghyuck, Mark would deem it a _teddy_ bear hug) Mark smiled. He could smell the cherry shampoo Donghyuck always used. The shampoo was actually meant for kids, but _“it’s the desire of the child within me, Markle.”_

“It’s over!” Donghyuck squealed.

Mark chuckled. “I guess I can assume the paper went well, huh?” Mark brought his hands around Donghyuck’s back as well.

“Yes! YES, Markle! It went so well! I didn’t forget anything!”

“Didn’t I tell you it would? Also, I can’t breathe, if you don’t mind,” Mark coughed.

Donghyuck snorted but released his grip on Mark. His eyes were scrunched into tiny crescents and his mouth was stretched into a heart shape. “Yeah, yeah, you’re always right, Markle! Thank you! My saviour! I love you!”

Mark froze. _I… I love you?_ Donghyuck’s words struck Mark right in the heart like Cupid’s arrow. Donghyuck realised the weight of his words a heartbeat too late. His eyes widened just a tiny bit, but Mark was staring at them so intensely that he noticed the shift in emotion in Donghyuck’s eyes.

The alarm from Mark’s phone broke the agonizing tension and both jumped backward. Mark looked at the screen of his phone, vision still unclear from focusing on Donghyuck’s eyes for too long. _Physics final._ Mark’s head snapped back up to look at Donghyuck, whose empty hands were dangling at his sides awkwardly.

“I’ll meet you later? Garden bench?” Mark suggested – anything to bid goodbye with as little awkwardness as possible.

Donghyuck nodded hastily. “Yup.”

Mark ducked his head and turned around, not before mouthing “bye” to Donghyuck. Donghyuck returned a small smile and he watched Mark walk a few metres in the opposite direction.

“Wait! Mark?” Donghyuck called out. He didn’t want the interaction to end on a negative note. He couldn’t risk Mark sacrificing his grades in favour of overthinking the slip of Donghyuck’s tongue.

Mark turned to look at Donghyuck quizzically.

“Good luck,” Donghyuck released a breath he didn’t know he was holding and shot Mark a thumbs up.

The right corner of Mark’s mouth tilted upward in a half-smile, leaving a peculiar feeling in Donghyuck’s stomach.

All Mark could think about during the Physics final was the way Donghyuck looked and sounded when he had said he loved Mark. Teddy bear face. Round. Sparkling eyes. Bright voice. Mark knew Donghyuck was thinking about it, too. Mark knew Donghyuck was the type to savour the fresh memory with his tongue, taste every single detail, ponder if it he had made the wrong decision. Mark knew what how sensitive Donghyuck was; he’d probably spend the entire final beating himself up for reopening a raw wound in Mark’s heart. That was the last thing Mark wanted – for Donghyuck to be _sad_. When the teacher finally walked out of class, Mark gathered his things and sprinted to the garden.

Nearing the bend, Mark slowed his pace down and adjusted his tucked-in graphic tee, not wanting to seem like he was just that excited to see Donghyuck. As he walked past the glass panel of the cafeteria, Mark smoothed his hair back, tucking a stray black strand behind his left ear. Perfect. Mark took a step around the corner, eyes searching for Donghyuck and _yes_! There he was, in his blue-haired glory, and beside him was… pink-haired Na Jaemin?

Mark’s heart dropped to his soles, weighing his feet down into the ground. What the hell was Na Jaemin doing with Donghyuck? The expressions on both their faces looked displeased; Donghyuck’s mouth was upturned into the slight pout he wore when he was annoyed. Last he checked, Jaemin and Donghyuck weren’t on good terms. Mark forced his body back behind the corner, heart pounding in his ears. As much as he didn’t like to admit it, he was ~~a little~~ intimidated by Jaemin, what with him being the most popular jock. But no one could ruin Donghyuck’s day – not on Mark’s watch.

Mark closed his eyes and willed his feet to move from their place, but Jaemin’s pink-haired figure had already parted with Donghyuck. Mark’s eyes followed Jaemin as he disappeared into the school building, hands in pockets. When Mark’s eyes darted back to Donghyuck, Donghyuck’s were already on him. Mark jogged over to him and took a seat next to him on the bench.

“What was that about?” Mark gestured with his thumb in the direction Jaemin had gone.

Donghyuck shrugged, nonchalant. “We broke up.”

Mark’s mouth hung agape and he blinked rapidly. “What? Wh– what do you mean?”

Donghyuck stared at Mark like he was dumb. (And maybe he was, when it came to Donghyuck.) “What do _you_ mean ‘what do I mean’? I mean we. Broke. Up.”  
“How? I mean why? Suddenly?” Mark didn’t want to let Donghyuck slip away so easily; he needed to know. He refused to admit he was more excited to learn that Donghyuck was now single. Mark chastised himself internally.

“I guess things just weren’t working out anymore.”

“I thought we all knew that from the start. But why _now_?” Mark felt a sense of guilt for pushing Donghyuck, seeing how Donghyuck refused to make eye contact.

Donghyuck fiddled with his brooch. “W-why now?”

Mark raised his eyebrows in expectancy, the thrumming of his heart in his chest in stark contrast to the calmness on his face.

“W-well, ‘cause I like _you_.” Donghyuck’s expression was one you’d see on a nine-year-old kid who was trying to defend himself in a losing argument. Reddened face. Bottom lip jutting out, arms folded.

Mark couldn’t restrain the giggle that slipped through his lips. Donghyuck glared at Mark, meeting his eyes for the first time in the conversation. “What are _you_ laughing at?”

Mark’s features settled, but his eyes still shone with mirth. He waved his hands in front of him.

“Nothing, nothing.”

Mark’s eyes followed Donghyuck as Donghyuck pushed himself up off the edge of the bench and stepped in front of Mark. He bent forward and leaned in close, so close. Mark’s eyes dropped to Donghyuck’s lips. He could already feel the heat creeping up his face. He also knew Donghyuck could see the blush slowly forming on his cheeks. How embarrassing. A smirk danced across Donghyuck’s face.

“What you starin’ at, pretty boy?” The way Donghyuck’s breath ghosted over Mark’s lips sent a shiver down Mark’s spine. But Mark couldn’t shift his eyes from Donghyuck’s lips. His heart was running a mile a minute in his ribcage, and how was Donghyuck able to keep his composure?

A finger touched his chin. Was this really happening? Mark tore his eyes away to look right into Donghyuck’s brown irises. Mark had never seen Donghyuck’s eyes this up close before. They were so deep, so beautiful. Mark _had_ fallen into them, and never found his way out. Mark’s mind was a blank screen – no thoughts, head empty. His chest swelled almost uncomfortably large at the sudden realisation of being in such close proximity to Donghyuck, and then before his brain could register anything, Donghyuck was leaning in and Mark’s eyes were closing and– oh? Donghyuck’s lips were on his.

It was so much more than Mark had ever imagined, and he’d imagined it a lot. What it would be like to kiss Donghyuck, to feel those chapped yet luscious lips moving over his own. It was soft, sensual, yet gentle. It was so _Donghyuck._ The feeling of kissing was unfamiliar, but the scent of Donghyuck and Donghyuck and Donghyuck engulfed Mark and he felt so at home. Mark’s world was spinning from euphoria even though his eyes were closed. He felt like he was above the clouds, but the white noise of the school grounds told him he was in school, a place he’d once hated but where he’d met someone who’d turned that sentiment around. Mark’s heart swelled again. Where he’d met someone who’d taught him how to smile.

When Donghyuck pulled away, Mark’s eyes fluttered open, dazed. They studied each other’s eyes, a thick atmosphere between them.

Then Donghyuck giggled, eyes turning into crescents. Mark’s lips twitched upward into his lopsided smile as well, face still a blooming red. Mark’s eyes travelled over Donghyuck’s face, from his ears to his nose to his dimples. And he smiled even wider.

Mark stood up next to Donghyuck and a surge of confidence overwhelmed him. “Can I... can I hold your hand?”

Donghyuck laughed at Mark’s innocence, charming voice going straight to Mark’s heart. “We’re _boyfriends_ now, Markle. What do you think?”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”

Mark took Donghyuck’s left hand in his right, but Donghyuck stared at him with a teasing gaze.

“What?”

“ _This_ is how you hold hands when you’re dating someone.” Donghyuck stretched out his fingers and slotted them firmly between Mark’s. Donghyuck’s hand was smooth and fit perfectly in Mark’s larger palm. Mark liked holding hands, he decided.

“Come on, I wanna take you somewhere,” the glint in Donghyuck’s eyes toyed with Mark’s heart.

And so they ran, hands interlocked, out of the school compounds. For once, all the eyes were on Mark and Donghyuck. Wolf whistles, whispers, Mark even caught sight of Jaemin’s shocked expression in a blur past him, but Mark couldn’t care less. Not if he was with Donghyuck. Donghyuck’s _boyfriend._ Mark’s heart was racing as fast, if not faster, than his feet.

They ended up on the swings at the playground they had passed by while skipping school. Mark idly swung beside Donghyuck.

“I’d always loved swings. They always make me feel so free, especially when I go really really high, like this!” Donghyuck used the momentum to go even higher than he already was.

“Really? I’d always been too scared to swing high,” Mark replied.

Donghyuck gaped at Mark. “Are you _kidding_? Mark Lee! How could you?!”  
Donghyuck stopped his swing and got up abruptly to stand behind Mark. “Okay. I’m gonna push you.”

Mark’s eyes widened and he dug his feet into the ground. “Woah, woah, wait. I’m scared!”

Donghyuck chuckled almost evilly and Mark’s heart sank to his feet.

“There’s no backing out now!” he declared.

Donghyuck pushed Mark with slightly more force than Mark would’ve liked, and Mark swung high into the air. The wind whipped his hair into his eyes, but he was already beaming so widely his eyes were nearly closed anyway. Donghyuck pushed him higher and higher, until Mark’s knuckles turned white from gripping the ropes of the swing.

“Stop! It’s too high!” Mark said between bursts of his and Donghyuck’s laughter.

“Fine, I’ll slow you down, sugar plum.” _Sugar plum._

Both laughing, Mark slowed to a stop, and Donghyuck returned to the other vacant swing. Donghyuck kicked at the sanded ground, the remains of fun still evident in the smile on his face. Mark looked over to Donghyuck, taking a moment to soak in just how lucky he was to be able to call the boy sitting next to him his. A wave of fondness swept over Mark.

“Donghyuck?”

“Hmm?” Donghyuck absentmindedly responded.

“I love you.” Mark’s voice was laced with the slightest tinge of affection, but Donghyuck knew Mark enough to know that this was a whole new level of intimacy on Mark’s part.

Donghyuck turned to face Mark, and their eyes met once again, Donghyuck’s full of tenderness as he gazed back at Mark.

“I love you too, Markle.”


	2. epilogue

“If you’d have asked me on the first day of senior year about the boy who sat next to me in Math class, I’d probably have said something like overly bubbly. Weird. I never would’ve imagined that I would fall for him. And that nine years later, I’d be head over heels in love with him. I never would’ve called myself the luckiest man in the world to meet him. But here I am,” Mark looked over with Donghyuck who was gazing lovingly at him. Mark’s eyes were full of only Donghyuck and his voice was full of adoration, “Here I am, the luckiest man in the world. I don’t deserve to have someone who cares for me so much, who’s always there for me without fail. I don’t deserve Donghyuck. And I need him to know one thing – bumping into him on the first day of senior year was the best thing I ever did. I love you, Donghyuck, just as you taught me what love felt like. I will love you unconditionally. I promise to always be there for you, to shelter and hold your love as the most precious gift in my life. I will care for you always and stand by you in times of sorrow and joy, forever nurturing the love I feel for you. And I declare from the bottom of my heart that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Mark stepped back from the microphone and swallowed to get rid of the choked-up feeling he always got just before he cried. _Not now, Mark, not now._ Donghyuck’s eyes were already sparkling with tears, so Mark had to be the stronger one.

Mark and Donghyuck stood facing the judge. The judge cleared her throat.

“Mark Lee, do you take Lee Donghyuck to be your husband, promising to love and cherish through joy and sorrow, sickness and health, and whatever challenges you may face, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Mark was getting choked up again.  
The judge turned slightly to face Donghyuck this time.  
“Lee Donghyuck, do you take Mark Lee to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?”

Donghyuck looked at Mark, tears threatening to spill over.

“I do.”

The judge smiled fondly. “I now pronounce you husband and husband.”

Donghyuck and Mark turned to face each other, staring into the eyes they’d become so accustomed to. They interlaced their hands, the feeling so familiar and so new at the same time. Mark’s other hand went to rest in the small of Donghyuck’s back, pushing their bodies closer.

Donghyuck leaned in until their lips touched and their eyelids fell closed, just like the first time they kissed. The audience erupted into cheer around them. Mark’s world was spinning with the knowledge that Donghyuck was his _husband_ now. They pulled apart, both beaming. Mark’s eyes screamed _I love you_ , and he knew Donghyuck understood.

The wedding dinner ensued, with joyful chatter all around, and the couple unable to wipe the smiles off their faces.

Someone tapped Donghyuck’s shoulder, to which Donghyuck whipped around. His jaw dropped in astonishment.

“You came?” Donghyuck grinned. Mark turned to look as well, and his eyes widened in surprise.

Jaemin changed significantly over the past nine years. His hair was black now, and he was dressed smartly, no longer the playboy jock. Although, Mark had to admit, age never seemed to catch up to him.

Jaemin ran a hand through his hair, still damaged from being dyed repeatedly. “Yeah, yeah. Figured I should, since I was invited. And I wanted to say,” Jaemin took a deep breath, “I’m sorry.”

Donghyuck laughed. “Oh, don’t be silly. It’s been nine years, Jaemin.”

Jaemin let out a breath and smiled. “Congratulations to you two. You look really good together.”

“Thank you, Jaemin.”

Seeing and talking to Jaemin brought back immense nostalgia; it felt like they were in high school again. Young, wild and innocent. But so many things had changed since then, and most importantly, Mark and Donghyuck were bound together with love, for life. Mark squeezed their intertwined hands under the table. They were in this journey together, and Mark couldn’t be more thrilled.


End file.
